Chapter 53: Walking Among Mortals

Why is there no sound?

Chen Banxia, curled up on the sofa, opened her eyes wide and held her breath, but she didn't hear a thing.

She reached out to grab the back of the sofa, wanting to lift her head to take a peek, but she held back. Instead, she pulled out her Mobile Phone, opened the camera, switched to video mode, extended her arm to hold it up, and exposed only a tiny bit of the phone from the front of the sofa, aiming the lens toward the dining room.

After a few seconds, she pulled it back.

She tapped it to play it back.

"!!"

Her younger brother was staring right at the lens without blinking!

So creepy, so terrifying!!

Chen Banxia hurriedly put away her Mobile Phone, closed her eyes, and started pretending to be asleep.

However, at this moment, her younger brother's voice rang out: "Chen Banxia, if you don't come over to wrap them, I'm going to stuff a big glob of salt into every single Dumpling, believe me?"

"Coming, coming..."

Chen Banxia rolled off the sofa, her feet sliding steadily into her slippers, and said as she walked: "I was just watching you two being lovey-dovey and leaving you some private time; the continuation of our Lao Chen family line depends on you two, honestly, I'm worried sick..."

Chen Shu rolled his eyes.

Ning Qing was focused on wrapping Dumplings.

Neither of them paid her any mind.

That same evening.

Chen Shu returned to the Dormitory and took a shower. When he came out, he saw Meng Chunqiu huffing and puffing while cleaning, and Jiang Lai sitting on the sofa, so he walked over:

"Brother Meng, you're really diligent!"

"..." Meng Chunqiu glanced at him, "Brother Chen seems to be in a good mood?"

"Brother Meng has a sharp eye."

"If there is any Joy, remember to share it with us."

"It's not worth mentioning." Chen Shu looked at him, then at Jiang Lai, "Brother Meng is so hardworking, aren't you going to help?"

"Brother Meng won't let me help."

"Is that so?"

"Hoo..."

Meng Chunqiu stood straight, leaning on the mop, let out a long breath, and said to him: "I, Meng Chunqiu, have acted with integrity my whole life; I am willing to accept a bet and admit defeat, and I will never go back on my word."

"Oh, that! I'd forgotten all about it!"

"..."

"Then carry on."

Chen Shu sat on the sofa, took off his slippers, crossed his legs, pulled out his Mobile Phone, and opened a short-video app.

Search: Yujing, jumping off a building

Just after typing these two terms, the complete search entry already appeared:

Yujing dance student jumping off a building incident

He clicked in to watch; there were quite a lot of videos.

The times have changed after all; the media is too developed.

Chen Shu watched a few videos first.

The earlier the video, the more likes it had, and the comments below were increasingly hard to look at: a beautiful dance student had taken her own life, and it seemed to involve a Loan; for a time, it felt like everyone was eager to speculate on the reasons with the worst possible malice. There were even more unsightly ones, people saying "I have the video," with a crowd of people underneath calling them "big brother" and asking for favors.

A few days later, the truth came out.

It was not much different from what Chen Shu had guessed.

Only then did justice dare to speak up, and the comment section became harmonious.

Chen Shu saw many comments demanding severe punishment for the criminals, some even saying they should be sentenced to death for murder.

Results were released in the last two days; several official news accounts posted videos. The police had finished their investigation, and several criminal suspects were captured one after another.

These people were—

Li and He, who pried open the door to install the cameras;

Xu, who instigated Li and He to install the cameras, planned this voyeurism incident, and uploaded the videos;

Two "spirited youths" who came to harass and collect debts, Li and Luo, and three others who hadn't been found yet;

Liu, the leader of the outsourced debt collection personnel;

Originally, because Wang Yi's home was a rental, Chen Shu thought it wouldn't be easy to find the person who installed the cameras. Unless the other party was stupid enough to film their own face while installing the camera, normally it wouldn't be easy to identify who installed it in a short time.

There were previous tenants, and the landlord also had a key.

He didn't expect it to be identified so quickly.

The efficiency was still very high.

But looking at the several "so-and-sos," Chen Shu let out a laugh.

The Loan company didn't have a single thing happen to them.

The outsourced debt collection company...

Taking the fall, were they?

Furthermore, while browsing the forum earlier, he saw a post from a girl confirmed to be Wang Yi's roommate, which mentioned that Wang Yi had told her that a person named Zhao Haojiang was always calling Wang Yi to express his love, saying things like Wang Yi was beautiful and had a good figure, and proposing that she be his girlfriend. There wasn't any other illegal content, just telling her that as long as she agreed to be his girlfriend, with his connections, this matter could be settled.

Wang Yi naturally did not agree.

Chen Shu then checked that the legal representative of this "Su Jie" Loan company was also surnamed Zhao, only his name wasn't Zhao Haojiang.

He remembered again when he was downstairs that day, "Lei Laohu" refused to leave, and what he said wasn't "let them pay the money," but "let her agree to our boss's conditions," only he hadn't immediately noticed the difference at the time.

Ashamed into anger? If you can't get it, you destroy it?

Keep this guess in mind.

Chen Shu temporarily pressed the Mobile Phone screen off, turned his head to look at Jiang Lai, who was earnestly watching a Net Class beside him, and asked, "Have you ever heard of a person named Zhao Haojiang?"

"Which Zhao Haojiang?"

"The one involved in shady business, involved in Loans."

"I know one." Jiang Lai nodded honestly, "What's wrong? Did you offend him?"

"How old is he?"

"Several decades old, I suppose."

"Tsk tsk."

"What's wrong?"

"Is he married?"

"I don't know."

"Tell me in detail."

"Zhao Haojiang, he used to hang out in society. I heard that in the beginning, he collected protection money from street vendors, got caught, and after he got out, he sold drugs for a few days. Later, when the Government started regulating things strictly, he gathered a group of people and started working in the sand and soil industry, but it didn't grow very big. In recent years, sand and soil have also been strictly investigated, and the old methods don't work anymore, so they basically can't do that either. Later, for a period of time, he was always helping people collect debts, and now I hear he has started a Loan company himself."

"They handle debt collection themselves?"

"Yeah, it's just separated. Many small local companies do it this way; the ones doing the Loans are the ones doing the Loans, and the ones doing the debt collection are the ones doing the debt collection. If something goes wrong, they push the debt collectors out. Only big companies with truly extensive business hire external debt collection teams."

"It really is just as Brother Meng said, one line ends, and another begins."

"Is he the one you're looking for?"

"I suppose? What is his personal level like?"

"What level?"

"Can he fight?"

"He used to be a Martial Artist, but after he got money, he should have switched to being a Martial Cultivator. I'm not sure either, just a rough guess, he should be around the Fourth Stage. Maybe his Spirit Sea hasn't reached the Fourth Stage, but his Martial Artist level has definitely reached the Fourth Rank; after all, he's been in the game for several decades."

"What about his subordinates?"

"Most of them are very ordinary..."

"I see."

"Usually they just bully ordinary people; they won't bite anyone who is truly tough." Jiang Lai glanced at Chen Shu and added, "But he might have hidden weapons."

"Got it."

"Why are you asking about him?"

"Brother Chen, you haven't offended him, have you?" Meng Chunqiu had been listening from the side for a long time, his heart itching, and he hurriedly asked, "You must not do anything stupid. Those desperate people are not easy to deal with. Still the same thing, tell me, as long as you are in the right, I can settle it for you!"

"Brother Meng is overthinking it."

"Don't try to be a hero!"

Meng Chunqiu looked at Chen Shu somewhat nervously.

Heaven bless, Shengzu bless, Grand Ancestor Emperor bless, Buddha bless, Heavenly Venerable bless—

My roommate must get into trouble!

It is time for me, Meng Chunqiu, to stand out!

"No."

A single sentence made his face turn pale.

"Then why did you..."

"I just find him a bit unpleasant."

"Sigh..."

This feeling is like having a wealth of skills but nowhere to use them, or being loaded with money but having no one notice—it's truly too uncomfortable—when will it finally be my turn, Meng Chunqiu, to shine brightly?

Meng Chunqiu continued reading his book.

Chen Shu yawned.

Sometimes, turning a blind eye is a sin, and standing by idly is very wrong.

Daring to face injustice and unfairness is what it means to be a youth.

There is no road with nowhere to go, and it is far from being forced to a point where one "must do this"—none of that, he just wants to do it, simply wants to do it—witnessing her trouble, and witnessing her fall, this in itself is a marvelous kind of fate.

If you want to do it, do it.

This is the correct way to play through the world.

Chen Shu pressed his Mobile Phone on again and entered the Ancient Cultivation Group.

Qingcai Keke: Big shots

Grandma Always Says: What?

Nameless Person: What is it? Junior Sister Qingcai.

Good heavens, how idle must you two be?

Qingcai Keke: Do you guys have any understanding of the "Su Jie Online Loan Company"?

Nameless Person: I don't have any understanding, but I heard that a few days ago, a girl from Yujing Academy jumped off a building, and it seems it had something to do with them.

Nameless Person: How detestable! Such a fine girl, her whole life was ruined just like that!

Grandma Always Says: What?

Qingcai Keke: I'm just curious about this matter, do you have any in-depth understanding?

Nameless Person: I learned a little from the news; I wouldn't call it in-depth understanding.

Grandma Always Says: What?

Qingcai Keke: Senior, Senior, isn't that girl who jumped off the building from your Yujing Academy? @Nainai Zongshuo

Nainai Zongshuo: What about it?

Qingcai Keke: Do you have any gossip?

Nainai Zongshuo: What kind of gossip? Haven't the police already caught the people involved? Could there be some hidden story?

Qingcai Keke: I just wanted to hear some gossip.

Nainai Zongshuo: I really don't understand you women.

Qingcai Keke: Then what is your take on this?

Anonymous Person: Utterly heartbreaking!

Nainai Zongshuo: These people really deserve to die; they drove someone to that point over such a small amount of money, and it wasn't even borrowed from them. If it were me, could I even stand for that?

Qingcai Keke: ……

Qingcai Keke: Then has anyone heard of Zhao Haojiang?

Nainai Zongshuo: Zhao Haojiang? Isn't that the actual person in charge of that online lending company? Why ask about them?

Qingcai Keke: The actual person in charge? I checked and it wasn't him.

Nainai Zongshuo: Then who is it? Zhao Nianyi? That's his father.

Qingcai Keke: It's actually like that /Surprise

Nainai Zongshuo: What about it? Did you offend them too?

Qingcai Keke: Too?

Nainai Zongshuo: ummm……

Nainai Zongshuo: Anyway, I find him a bit of an eyesore. How about we join forces and take this guy out, what do you think?

Haoran Zhengqi: Abide by the law and discipline.

Nainai Zongshuo: Oh, I know, I know. Go back to lurking; don't come out unless I call you. That Zhao Haojiang deserves to die ten thousand times over. He's just gotten smarter now and is hiding deeper. Watch me find his criminal evidence one by one and bring him to justice.

Nainai Zongshuo: Junior sister, come quickly and lend me a hand.

Nainai Zongshuo: @Qingcai Keke

Qingcai Keke: How did you offend him, Big Boss?

Nainai Zongshuo: I offend him? Is he even worthy?

Qingcai Keke: How did he offend you?

Grandmother Zongshuo: It doesn't count as offending; I just borrowed some money from him last year and haven't paid it back yet. Now, with the interest rolling, it's rolled up to several million.

Qingcai Keke: /Stunned

Grandmother Zongshuo: At the time, I hadn't read this tutorial yet and didn't understand, so I let him know my personal information. Afterward, he would come to harass me every so often. Damn it, every time I beat them like dogs, but they aren't afraid of being beaten. They even wanted to go to court to sue me and make me pay back the principal. Pay back a bird's nest! I was just thinking, I might as well just take this bird-brained person out. If anyone comes to ask me for money later, I'll chat with them about how Zhao Haojiang disappeared and see if they're scared.

Qingcai Keke: /Stunned

Anonymous Person: /Stunned

Jiu Jiao Luo Huaian Suan Le: /Stunned

Qingcai Keke: You even managed to smoke out Senior Luo.

Grandmother Zongshuo: Just tell me if you're doing it or not.

Qingcai Keke: How do we do it?

Grandmother Zongshuo invited you to a private chat.

Chen Shu clicked accept.

Grandmother Zongshuo: I've been investigating them for a while and have almost everything figured out. It's just that this bird-brained person seems to have sensed something recently and is always guarding against me. You can use your image and abilities to help me handle some things that are inconvenient for me to do, as well as some small tasks within your power; that will be enough.

Grandmother Zongshuo: It's absolutely not difficult.

Qingcai Keke: You want to take someone out just because you borrowed money and can't pay it back?

Grandmother Zongshuo: /Expressionless

Grandmother Zongshuo: He harms heaven and reason; he deserves his punishment.

Qingcai Keke: That's awesome!

Qingcai Keke: So what do I need to do?

Grandmother Zongshuo: What Tier are you?

Qingcai Keke: Martial Cultivator, Third Tier.

Grandmother Zongshuo: Truly pathetic.

Qingcai Keke: I'm a newcomer, after all /Aggrieved

Grandmother Zongshuo: What are you good at?

Qingcai Keke: Rune application and fighting, but my fighting makes a lot of noise and the power is also strong.

Grandmother Zongshuo: Understood.

Grandmother Zongshuo: Then I will tell you when the time comes. I guarantee I won't let you go head-to-head with them. Besides, you can refuse. Of course, if it succeeds, I won't pay you a salary either.

Qingcai Keke: Okay.

Grandmother Zongshuo exited the private chat.

Anonymous Person: Why do you two keep chatting privately? Can't you let us see?

Haoran Zhengqi: There's nothing worth seeing; you can put it in the group chat.

Grandmother Zongshuo: /Handshake

Qingcai Keke: /Handshake

Grandmother Zongshuo: By the way, you haven't said yet, how did you offend him? Why are you going against him? Did you borrow money from him too?

Qingcai Keke: Big Boss, ask your questions a bit slower.

Grandmother Zongshuo: Hey!

Qingcai Keke: Because that girl from your school who jumped off the building was my classmate at Youth School. This person is the person in charge of a quick-loan company. He had contacted her before she jumped, wanting her to be his mistress or something. You don't need to dig deep to understand the connection here, right?

Grandmother Zongshuo: Really? There's that layer to it?

Qingcai Keke: Really.

Grandmother Zongshuo: The police didn't even find this out? And this is under the feet of the Son of Heaven; the Son of Heaven my ass.

Grandmother Zongshuo was muted for 1 minute by Haoran Zhengqi.

Qingcai Keke: It's written on your school's forum, didn't you go look?

One minute later—

Grandmother Zongshuo: I've been a bit busy lately...

Qingcai Keke: Senior Brother, are you actually from Yuda or not? Looking at the forum, I feel like all you Yuda students are eating this melon lately.

Grandmother Zongshuo: Would I get money for lying to you? You're not an illegal Loan company.

Qingcai Keke: That makes sense.

But I could get happiness.

Chen Shu silently added in his heart.

Grandmother Zongshuo: So you really didn't borrow money from them?

Qingcai Keke: Really didn't.

Grandmother Zongshuo: Then you can go borrow some.

Qingcai Keke:?

Grandma Always Says: Their place doesn't report to credit bureaus, and they're about to go bankrupt anyway, what are you still waiting for? If it weren't for the fact that I can't borrow anymore, I'd want to go borrow some more myself.

Qingcai Keke:!!

This person's way of thinking is truly unique.